Take Your Data Traveling: Use Charts and Diagrams in Multiple Programs

You need a professional-looking organization chart, but placing, sizing, aligning, and positioning shapes and connectors are more work than your schedule will allow. So, how about creating a professional looking organization chart in Visio without ever editing a shape or routing a connector? You might be pleasantly surprised at just how easy diagramming can be.

Turn you Excel data into an organizational chart in Visio

How to get it done

If you would like to follow along and try this for yourself, download the sample Excel file available on the right side of this page.

To transform an Excel spreadsheet into a Visio diagram:

1.	Start by typing the data for your organization chart in a simple Excel table. Include columns for name, title, and the name of the person to whom each individual reports. If you are using the sample data provided with this article, your table is already set up for you and looks like this:
2.	Save and close the Excel file.
3.	In Visio, on the File menu point to New, and then point to Organization Chart, and click Organization Chart Wizard.
4.	Follow the Wizard steps, selecting the following options at each stage and clicking Next between each: • Create your organization chart from information that is already stored in a file or database. • Your information is stored in a Text, Org Plus, or Excel File. • Click Browse to select the Excel file containing your organization chart data. • If you use the sample data, or data formatted with the same column headings, you can simply continue to click Next for each subsequent step of the wizard until the Finish button is available.
5.	Click Finish to generate your organization chart. If you used the sample data, your new organization chart should look like this:

You can now format your organization chart as needed, and even copy it into your Word document or PowerPoint presentation.

Get help and more information on working with data in Visio.

Stephanie Krieger Stephanie Krieger is a Microsoft Office System MVP as well as author of the books Advanced Microsoft Office Documents 2007 Edition Inside Out (February 2007) and Microsoft Office Document Designer. As a professional document consultant, she has helped many global companies develop enterprise solutions for Microsoft Office and taught numerous professionals to build great documents by understanding how the Office programs “think.” Stephanie writes regularly for several Microsoft Web pages and frequently delivers Microsoft webcasts. Visit her blog, arouet.net, for Microsoft Office tips as well as information about new and upcoming publications and webcasts.

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